Cloth opener and expander.



S. BIRCH.

CLOTH OPENER AND EXPANDBR.

- APPLICATION FILED 1m. 2a, 1907.

Patented June -8, 1909.

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CLOTH OPENER AND BXPANDEB.

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Patented June 8, 1909.

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. CLOTH OPENER AND EXPANDER.

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Patented June 8, 1909.

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SYDNEY BIRCH, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN FINISHING MACHINERY COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- OHUSETTS.

CLOTH OPENER AND EXPANDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SYDNEY Bmorr, a subject of theKing of Great Britain and Ireland, and resident of Broughton Park, Manchester, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cloth Openers and Expanders, of which the following is a specification.

In apparatus for opening, spreading or expanding textile fabrics it is customary to use grooved or serrated rollers, and, in order to create the necessary bite, it is usual for the fabric to be held taut in the direction of its length as it enters the expander. 111 being thus held taut the cloth is contracted and the expander given more work to do than if the cloth were allowed to enter the expander slack. A further drawback is that the cloth is not expanded equally from the center to the selvages and in some cases the action of the expander is so harsh as to injuriously afiect the fabric. On the other hand in what are known as strap expanders the central parts of the fabric are opened and stretched, but not the selvages. Further and more common objections to known expanders are that they are large expensive consume much power, and are difiicult to keep clean.

This invention has for its object to provide a cheap and simple form of expander which does not require the fabric to be held taut, which acts upon the full width of the fabric in a manner which insures of all parts being properly expanded, and which in no way injures the fabric. I

According to the invention, the improved expander consists of a roller or spindle to which is applied a covering of bristles or deflectable members or the like. Such bristles, which resemble the card clothing used in carding engines, are inclined outwardly to right and left from the center of the length of the roller, and they are either straight for their entire length or they are bent, and arranged with one portion perpendicular to the roller and the other portion inclined. A roller thuscovered on being rotated in contact with a piece of cloth pressing thereagainst and moving therewith operates to open or expand or distend the cloth axially of the roller. Preferably the cloth is supported against the pressure of the roller by some cooperating cloth supporting means, such as a smooth roller. The expanding action is caused by the pressure 011 the bristles, the deflections of which are increased with increased pressure on the cloth so that it is extended in the direction of its width.

WVhile the bending of the bristles serves primarily for giving them the necessary inclination for expanding the fabric, it also serves for enabling the bristles to yield when the fabric would be liable to distress if further expanded, and thus an expander is provided which adapts itself to the cloth and expands the cloth uniformly for its full width.

While preferring bristles I may use other forms of devices presenting deflectable mem bers to the cloth to be stretched. The bristles may be arranged to a spiral, or in planes diagonal to theaxis of the roller or in planes at right angles to the axis of the roller.

Upon the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 illustrates the right hand half of the improved expander in its simplest form, the two ends of the part shown being shown in section in order to illustrate the difference in angle of the bristles. Fig. 2 illustrates a longitudinal section of a small part of the expander to a larger scale, while Fig. 3 illustrates an end View. Fig. 4 illustrates a modification, and Fig. 5 a detail. Fig. 6 illustrates a longitudinal section and Fig. 7 an end view of the expander in another form. Fig. 8 illustrates a general perspective view of the complete expander as it may be conveniently mounted for use in opening and expanding a fabric and at the same time guiding it centrally.

Referring to the construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a is aroller or rod equal in length to the width of the machine with which the complete expander is to be used, and at each end rotatably and adjustably mounted in suitable supports. 6, b are the bristles with which the rod is covered, each bristle being preferably U shape, and held to the rod by a close-fitting leather sleeve 0. Each bristle is either inclined from a point near the sleeve 0, see Fig. 4:, or it is partly perpendicular and partly inclined, see Figs. 1 and 2.

As aforesaid, Fig. 1 represents the right hand half of the complete expander. The bristles in such right. hand portion are inclined to the right and the bristles in the left hand portion are inclined to the left. The bristles of each half part of the expander are of graduated lengths, thus producing a conical exterior. The spacing of the bristles is also graduated, the bristles lying closer together at the end than at the middle, see Fig. 1. In the example shown the bristles are arranged in rings lying parallel with each other.

In proceeding to use the improved expander the expanding roller is supported parallel to the cooperating cloth supporting rod (0 against which it to be pressed. That is to say, in the case of a drying cylinder the rod a is arranged parallel with the surface of the cylinder, and either with the bristles 0 directly in contact with the cylinder, or in contact with a roller (Z. \Vith the bristles of varying lengths and the whole length of the expander in contact with the roller, it will be seen that the longer bristles will lie at a lesser angle to the longitudinal axis of the rod a than the other and shorter bristles, the degree of angularity gradually decreasing from the narrower to the wider ends of the expander. It will also be seen that as the expander rotates the bristles will each be deflected or caused to flatten out or decrease their angularity with the rod (Z and thus at their extreme points have a slight lateral movement, varying in degree with the length of the bristle. Vith the expander thus mounted and held, and a length of fabric requiring to be opened and expanded passed around the roller d and therefore, between the expander and. the roller, the effect of rotating the roller and expander is to cause the fabric, by reason of the action of the bristles, to be gradually and effectually spread or opened out and expanded from the center to the outside edges, each bristle taking hold of the fabric as the expander rotates at its normal angle and then spreading the fabric out laterally as it alters its angle by the deflection induced by the continued rotation of the expander.

The amount of slackness taken up by one ring of bristles is transferred to the next until the wider ends of the expander are reached, where owing to the increased num ber of bristles and their decreased deflection, the expander takes up the accumulated slackness and holds the fabric fully distended. The degree of opening effected by the end bristles in Fig. 2 is represented by the distance between the lilies 7 2. By varying the pressure of the expander against the roller (Z the degree of opening or spreading of the fabric will be varied.

In forming each bristle with a bend in its length, it serves to prevent the expander acting harshly on the fabric, the bristles yielding slightly when the fabric cannot be further opened or spread out, see Fig. 5.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I show another form of the improved expander which consists of a number of india-rubber collars or sleeves 6 and a series of fiat metal blades f which are secured to the sleeves, the periphery of each of these sleeves being formed with a rounded beading c and the inner end of each blade being recessed and adapted to be sprung over the beading as shown. The tightness of the fit of each blade on the heading is such as to cause the blade to lie radial and perpendicular (or nearly to the rod (I. At its outer end each blade is, by preference, widened out and curled ever, see Fig. 7, the object being to cause the blades when acting on the fabric to have a practically continuous grip, the toe of one taking hold of the fabric behind the heel of the other and thus making the spreading action continuous and uniform.

The endmost ring of blades shown in l igs. G and 7 show the manner in which the blades alter their angle and follow each other as they engage the fabric. As in the case of the bristles in Fig. 1, the blades f are of varying lengths, thus making the expander conical. The blades are also spaced at varying distances apart, and when the expander is in use the rod a is held parallel to the roller (l with all the rings of blades 7 in contact, and therefore with some of the blades lying at a lesser angle with the longitudinal axis of the rod than others and thus bringing about the desired opening and spreading of the fabric.

The sleeves (a are held at the required distance apart by rings and washers /1. The rubber sleeves c are preferably hard. except for the beading part, which is sutliciently flexible to allow of the blades yielding as they come in contact with the roller and to return them to their normal position a l'tcr leaving the roller a.

To cause the blades to incline slightly toward the right in a right-hand expander and toward the left in a left-hand expander. the blades are or may be each formed with small spur f, see Fig. 6, which will come against the shoulder of the sleeve when the blade is in its normal position.

In Fig. 8 I show how the complete cxpanding apparatus may be conveniently mounted and adjusted in relation to say a drying cylinder or calendering drum. Such view also shows how the expander may rotate in contact with a roller covered with wire clothing like that used in carding ongines, the object being to provide a yielding surface for the fabric to pass over. and for the expander to act against when in use. hen a solid roller is used there is. with some kinds of fabrics, a possibility of the fabric being dan'iaged, but with the brushlike roller, which affords a slightly yielding surface, the fabric is not dan'iaged.

By mounting the expander rod (1. in end supports 2 and carrying such supports upon a rod which, in turn, is supported by :l

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swiveling boss 70 upon a fixed bar Z the apparatus will serve both to expand the fabric and guide it centrally, the whole of the apparatus swiveling on the bar and thus causing the expander to equalize the pressure of the expander on the fabric under normal conditions and to cause it to act upon one edge of the fabric with greater effect than on the other when the fabric gets out of the straight.

The improved expander is applicable for all purposes in which fabric requires to be opened, spread or stretched. It may also be used in duplicate or triplicate, the fabric passing say around the rear face of one and around the front face of another, and one or more being adjustable in order to increase or decrease the expanding action.

By means of this invention the fabric may be led into a machine quite slack, the expander taking out the slack and holding the fabric fully distended. In such connection it may be used with calendering machines and serve both for spreading and stentering the fabric.

Inlieu of bristles or blades any other and suitable form of devices may be used, capable of being deflected when held and rotated under pressure against the fabric. The expander and roller d may be rotated slowly by the friction of the cloth or they may be driven.

It is to be observed that in the illustrated embodiment of the invention the bristles are deflected by being pressed against the cloth while it is supported by the roller d. The invention is not, however, limited to constructions involving the use of a roller such as d as the expander may engage the cloth while the latter is supported directly by a drying cylinder or other support. So also it comprehends, in its broader aspects, constructions in which the pressure of the cloth on the expander is due to the tension under which the cloth is drawn through the machine.

The brackets in which the rod a is supported are adjustable toward and away from the rod (Z, thereby allowing of the ready passing of the fabric between them and the adjustment of the contact of the expander with the fabric in order to give varying degrees of opening and spreading.

hat I claim is 1. Opening, spreading and stretching apparatus for textile fabrics comprising a multiplicity of members capable of being deflected as they travel over the fabric, and of thereby stretching the fabric from the center outward, and means for causing the fabric to engage the deflectable members, substantially as herein set forth.

2. In apparatus for opening, spreading and stretching textile fabrics, the combination with a roller of a tight fitting sleeve and a multiplicity of wire-like bristles carried by such sleeve the bristles being inclined to left and right or from central point along the length of the rod and also being of varying lengths and spaced at graduated distances apart, substantially as herein set forth.

In apparatus for opening, spreading and stretching textile fabrics, an expander made of bristles which incline to right and left from the center of the length of the roller in combination with a roller provided with a yielding covering of wire bristles, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

4. An expanding device for use in stretching cloth, having deflectable members which are deflected by engagement with and thereby operate to stretch the cloth, and means for causing the cloth to engage the deflectable members, substantially as described.

5. An expanding device for use in stretching cloth, having members engaging the cloth, which are deflected thereby in opposite directions by said engagement, and means for causing the cloth to engage the deflectable members, substantially as described.

6. A cloth stretcher having, in combination, an expander having deflect-able members which are deflected by engagement with and thereby operate to stretch the cloth and cooperating cloth supporting means, substantially as described.

7. A cloth stretcher, having, in combination, an expander having deflectable members of which the members adapted to engage the opposite edges of the cloth are deflected by such engagement to stretch the cloth in opposite directions, and cooperating cloth supporting means, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

SYDNEY BIRCH.

Witnesses P. D. BAILEY, F. C. PENNING'ION. 

